This Shall Remain Untitled
by RevansRubber Duck Darth Nimble
Summary: I guess this actually an implied GilxAlice and OzxAlice one-shot. Alice is stabbed, "accidently" and her along with Gil attempt to hide it from Oz. Things don't always go as planned, though.


If I owned PH it'd be even more creepy and dark happy than it already is. Be thankful I don't own it o.o

* * *

"PUT ME DOWN YOU STUPID SEAWEED HEAD!"

"Not until we're inside, stupid rabbit."

"I'm fine!! Put me down!!"

"You're bleeding! How does that make you fine!?"

"It's just a scratch!"

"I'd hate to see your idea of a serious injury then."

"It's not serious! It's just a scratch--"

"Rabbit, shut up. If you keep screaming then your heart races to get more oxygen through you. If you do that more blood gets going and that 'scratch' is going to be bleeding a lot more than it is already."

That shut the girl up. She clung to Gilbert more tightly, who was holding her bridal style, attempting to keep herself as still as possible. This time, she admitted, she could be called 'stupid' with what she did. Anyone would've reacted the way she did. How was she supposed to know they were going to take their safety tip off in the middle of it?

To make a long story short, a couple of noble boys had decided to try and insult her first by saying things about her parents, then when she had replied she didn't care what they thought of them seeing as her parents weren't around (and neither did she know them, so even if what they said was true, it wouldn't matter,) they decided to turn to insulting _her_. When she barely reacted to that, they started to add the seaweed head into the mix as well, and _that_ ticked her off beyond words. She noticed they had a pair of swords, and decided to settle it with a match. The main one had smirked and agreed. Somewhere along the match he'd subtly taken off the safety, resulting in Alice becoming injured. That was about the time Gil finally cut in realizing what was going on in his absence.

It wasn't that they were insulting him that got to her. She did that on a regular basis. It had more to do with what they were accusing of the two doing. She wasn't sure if it was because he was a seaweed head, or because she might have actually thought of him that way in some point of time that she reacted that way. She was just glad that Oz hadn't been there. She wasn't really sure where the boy went, but she didn't feel like staying in the house, and neither did Gil, so, though grudgingly, the two went off to explore. She just hoped Oz wasn't back yet.

Wishful thinking? Probably.

Somehow Gil had managed to keep her wounded side hidden fairly well, so they didn't attract any attention while he ran her back home, though there had been a few curious glances to which he replied "her mother's having a baby and needs her." She didn't like the idea of that, but because it got people to stop staring she put up with it. She started yelling at him when the house came into view.

Though the distance was short, their argument had seemed to go on for hours. By the time Gil actually got the key in and opened the door, there was a small puddle of blood at the doorstep. He didn't notice, of course. He was more concerned with getting the stupid rabbit to the bed or couch and getting a good look at the wound. As a servant to Oz, he had been required to learn the medical arts in case his master ever suffered the misfortune of becoming seriously ill or injured out of nowhere while out of town. He kept medical supplies in the kitchen in case things like this happened. He may be a seaweed head, but he knew what he was doing.

He eased her down gently onto the couch, waiting a few extra seconds for the girl to stop clutching at his coat and shirt. She held on for a few more seconds than necessary, but let go when he gently pried her hands off. He got the medical kit from the on top of the fridge and came back.. They would have gone to a doctor, but neither knew if her anatomy was that of a chain or that of a human, or both mixed. Either way, it would've caused problems and suspicions, all of which they did not need.

"Stupid rabbit...if you're in pain just say it. It's not like you're helping anyone pretending to be unaffected." He muttered, taking off her jacket, which now had a blood large blood stain on it. He undid the bow, too, in case it would get in the way, but then he stopped, a faint blush coming to his face. She may look like she's fourteen...but she could hit hard when she wanted to. He looked up at her questioningly, making sure it was alright. The fact that she hadn't answered to his statement worried him slightly.

Alice looked thoughtful, not noticing the look he had given her. She looked like she was trying to debate on an inner subject. Gil grunted, finally getting her attention. She put on a threatening look, saying everything without words. _You go further than needed, and I'll have your head. _It was quickly gone, a wince of pain replacing it.

In Abyss, she hadn't really felt pain. It was still there, just not to the point where it hindered her actions. Now, in Oz's world, if she just cut her finger with paper it hurt. Granted a cut that small couldn't do anything other than barely draw blood. It was still a foreign feeling to her. In Abyss, she wouldn't of even felt a cut like that. She stared while Gil pulled the now quarter unbuttoned blood-stained shirt. She would've smirked at his blushing face and said something along the lines of "what? Never seen a girl showing skin before?" but that pain constantly kept her from making any lasting expressions.

Gil cleaned the wound up, which was actually a series of cuts and two stabs. He was surprised the girl was capable of still being conscious. He frowned slightly when the blood continued to ooze out. He was glad it wasn't pulsing, but he wasn't all to satisfied with it still running out. He put a piece of cloth over it and ordered her to hold it there, and to apply as much pressure as possible, she did.

"We're going to have to stitch it...and you better not--_ what are you doing_!?" He took her hand away from the cloth and held it there himself, "You don't hold it that tight. Just enough to..." he saw her dejected look, and half of him thought she deserved it. He would've believed that wholeheartedly, if not for the fact that he had seen the pain visibly written all over her face when she had been holding the cloth. She was trying her hardest to make it stop before Oz got home. They both knew Oz would overreact, and they both knew Gil would be the one to take the brute of it. Was she trying to save him from Oz's wrath, then? Or did she just not want to worry the boy?

"S-sorry," she murmured. She looked away before he could catch her gaze. Stupid rabbit....

"Just...keep it there." he grabbed a needle, some sort of liquid, and some thread. She eyed it questioningly, suddenly having second thoughts on the matter. That...thing...was going to be poked through her? No way in hell! She made to get up, but the sudden burst of pain made sit back down.

"What is wrong with you, rabbit!? We went over this a hundred times!"

"Sorry..." she mumbled, closing her eyes tightly. He figured out what was wrong. She didn't like needles. No wonder she wasn't throwing back insults. Rabbits being scared of needles.... He sighed and gently lifted the blood soaked cloth. It had stopped most of the bleeding, enough to get a good start on the stitching.

"Keep your eyes closed, stupid rabbit...it won't hurt."_much_, he added mentally. He poured some of the liquid over the wound and waited a couple minutes. It was meant to numb the area around the wound, though why he would waste it on her, he'd never know. He threaded the needle and got to work.

* * *

"Giiil! Aliiice! I'm back!" a voice cried from the door, and sure enough the blonde haired boy made his way to living room. Upon seeing Gil's warning gaze and the slight nudge of his head toward the couch, he turned his gaze there. Alice lay sleeping clutching her side. He didn't think much of it, she always slept in odd positions. Gil was lucky. He'd just finished cleaning up the blood splotches that led from the door to the couch, and managed to hide the bloodied clothes.

"Where were you?" Gil asked quietly, trying to make the least amount of sound possible. He would've left to a different room with Oz to talk, but the stupid rabbit was injured and he had to look after her, constantly. It didn't take much to re-open the stitching.

"Eh...Echo-chan wanted me." he gave that boyish grin of his, which often got people to forget the rest of their questions on the matter. "Anything interesting happen while I was gone?"

Gil froze. The rabbit and he had decided to keep it from Oz, though she highly doubted he'd be able to. Oz seemed to able to see through all of it. Luckily he didn't freeze for to long and shook his head in response, "Stupid rabbit fell asleep too early."

"Then what's with the blood at the door?"

"Uh..er...eh..." Gil couldn't come up with an excuse that wasn't an outrageous lie yet wasn't the truth. Oz gave him 'the look.' The look instantly made Gil freeze every time and made him spill everything. But he had to keep it up for the stupid rabbit. Oz didn't need to be worried.

"Break made a visit..." he hoped that was explanation enough. He didn't want to get the rabbit in trouble, and neither did he think Oz would buy that it was him who threw something at that sweet-obsessed madman.

"aaand..?" Oz prompted, sitting down on the arm of the couch Alice was sleeping on.

"A-and...."

"I threw a glass at the clown," a sleepy voice cut in. Gil had do admit, he was grateful toward the stupid rabbit for once. She seemed to come in at the times she was needed, always just barely in time.

"Afternoon, Alice!" Oz smiled over her, she didn't see it though. She had her head buried into the cushion. He frowned slightly when she didn't bring it up after a few seconds. She usually did hide her face from the light when she first wakes up, but never more than those few seconds. "Alice?"

"Y-yeah?"

"Are you alright?" he hopped off the arm and knelt down in front of her, making to turn her over.

Gil's eyes widened in realization, "Oz, no!" He made to stop him, but it was too late. Oz had already tried to flop her over, applying a little too much pressure onto her wounded side. Gil cringed at he strangled cry of pain that she tried to muffle. Oz jumped back in surprise.

"Alice!?"

"Rabbit..." the two said in unison.

"It's...just a bruise..." she replied. She blinked back the tears, refusing to allow Oz to be concerned, and refusing to let the seaweed head pay any punishment for her fault. Gil looked away, knowing what the rabbit was trying to do. He didn't approve, but neither was he going to try and ruin it for her. Though he may harbour ill feelings toward her, he did appreciate her attempts to make things better.

_Stupid rabbit..._

"Can I see?" the blond asked. If it hurt that much, then obviously it was serious.

"NO!"

Oz, and even Gilbert reeled back in surprise. Alice was temperamental at times, but the growl that came out with that 'no' took that to a new level. She kept her face buried into the cushion, clutching her now throbbing side. Though neither of the males could see it, she was gritting her teeth in pain and trying desperately not to cry. Mentally, she was beating herself up for being so weak. They were just scratches...so why did it hurt so much?

"A-Alice?" came a shaky voice. Great. She'd scared her manservant. She sighed mentally and turned her head slightly so half of her face faced him. There was only one way to fix this.

"Oz..." she looked at him pleadingly, and he looked at her in concern. She couldn't tell what the seaweed-head was thinking, as he was out of her line of sight. Suddenly her expression changed to resolve, "I want meat! Immediately!"

Gil growled in the background, knowing full well where the money for that meat would come from. The stupid rabbit just ate all of his money at every chance she got. Yes, he worked for Pandora, and yes, their pay was good, but there was no way he'd be able to keep up with her demands and keep his money at the same time. But of course his master just had to agree to everything that bloody rabbit said.

Oz laughed. "Of course."

* * *

For the most part, Alice tried to avoid any contact with anyone and anything except for when the topic of food was brought up. Whether she was injured or not, food was always a priority. Oz had tried to get her to talk or go out to do something, but she'd refuse, worrying that she might accidentally reveal the injury. Gilbert had been called away after supper for some sort of Pandora meeting. He'd wanted to inform Oz not to stress the girl too much, but then that would've given her away, and he knew for a fact she wouldn't hold back when she got better.

Spending all her time on the couch, Alice had come up with the excuse she hadn't had enough meat and was tired because of that. In reality, though, she just didn't want to move. She was fine with pain. She could handle it. So she thought. So she wanted to believe. Truthfully, however, she couldn't. Not in this form, and not in this world. She could tell Oz was starting to catch on, though. She'd reply offhandedly that she just wasn't in the mood for moving around, and Oz seemed to believe it for the time being.

The seconds seemed like minutes, the minutes hours. Time moved too slowly for Alice. She just wanted the day to be over. She figured no one would mind if she went to be early. No one being the only other current occupant of the building, also known as her manservant. The seaweed head had already created the pretence of her room being half murdered by Break coming in and scaring her. He'd locked the door too, for safe measures. Even Oz wouldn't be able to break through that. Finding her logic to be sound, she shifted slightly, finding the couch to be a little uncomfortable, and attempted to find a position she could sleep in. No need to say, it didn't take all that long.

Oz wasn't buying it. He knew from the moment he walked in and the bruise excuse came up that something was wrong. They'd almost got him when she'd requested for meat, but when she'd stated she didn't want to go out, he knew. He just knew. He didn't buy that Break had been here either. Yes, Alice was terrified of the man, but never would she throw something potentially breakable at him. Let alone something that would leave a big enough cut to make a puddle at the door. Break never used doors, let alone stood in front of one long enough for puddles to be created. Which meant the whole room ordeal wasn't true, either.

It was an unusually warm night, so he didn't have to worry about throwing off the covers this time, or the hassle for making the bed in the morning. He padded through the hallways, having finished another Holy Knight book and failed to be able to fall asleep, to go grab a glass of water or a cup of warm milk. He had forgotten Alice would be asleep on the couch. He decided to ditch the idea of getting a drink and seeing just what they were trying to hide. He'd memorized every squeaky floorboard over the duration his stay, and easily missed all of them, coming a halt in front of the fitfully sleeping girl.

Part of him didn't feel all to secure about this. He didn't _want_ to violate her, but it was the only way to find out what the heck they were hiding. Hesitantly, he pulled the shirt up. Nothing could've prepared him for the sight he saw. He'd expected a small gash or something of the sorts, but nothing that would require stitching. He understood now why it was so important to hide it from him. Why she didn't want to concern him. He was, though. Very. There was nothing he do at the moment, seeing as he knew next to nothing on the matter. Half of him wondered just how long the two could've kept it up. "Alice..." he murmured, still not believing the extent of the wounds. The girl shifted slightly at the sound of her name, and Oz immediately let the shirt fall back down.

Alice frowned slightly, not quite comprehending what her blurred vision was showing. Her jumbled up mind only decided that there was a blob of yellow and green floating in the air. Yellow and green...where did she know that from? "Oz??" she asked quietly, still sleepy. What was he doing in her room at this hour? Actually...what was he doing in her room at all!? She quickly sat up, ready to kick her manservant out of the room, regretting it almost straight away after. She made a 'tch' sound, biting back the pain. Then she realized her fault. She wasn't in her room.

"Alice? Are you sure you don't want to let me look at the bruise?" Oz asked gently. He wasn't about to let her know he'd basically committed sacrilege on her, even if it was with her best in mind.

"N-no. What are you doing waking me up at this hour!? Stupid manservant! You should know better! And why aren't you in you're clothes!?" she turned away, her face feeling warm. Why? She didn't...did she? Or...no, it had to be the fact she'd never seen a boy without his shirt on before. That was it. She was sticking by that.

Oz did indeed have nothing but his boxers on. He didn't usually sleep in anything other than that, and he hadn't realized he wasn't wearing anything over them when he originally came for his drink. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "Heh heh...sorry. I was just surprised to find you here, that's all."

"Well I'll go to my room then..." _Dammit, no!_ She realized her mistake too late.

"I thought it everything was broken because of Break?"

"I-It is. I'm just tired so I'm not thinking right. What're you doing up at this hour anyways?!"

"Ah...I wanted to check on Alice. I didn't think the couch would be all too comfortable..."

"It's not like I have anywhere else to go. I'm fine," she replied stubbornly.

Oz grinned. "Move over."

"Where?" she sat down in the middle of the couch, finding that was as far as she dared to move. She still didn't know where he meant, but it seemed to of have been the right move. Oz sat down on the edge she had previously occupied, and beckoned her closer. She moved a little closer. He laughed.

"It's alright, Alice. The main idea is to get you a more comfortable pillow."

She blinked, "There is no pillow."

"I, uh...I meant me, Alice."

He was amused at how quickly her face changed colour. "I-I-I don't want to...I mean, if the couch isn't that comfortable, what makes you think you are?" she cursed herself for stuttering.

He smiled, "Just try it?"

_Damn you and your smile... _It was capable of getting anyone to do his bidding.

Though hesitantly, she leaned into him. Part of her didn't want to, worried she'd roll over on her bad side, and partly that she didn't want to think of her manservant that way. It wasn't right to love the very thing she was killing. The other half though, loved it. It liked being this close to Oz. It felt...right. She mentally scowled. No. He was doing this only because it was his job as a manservant. That's all she had to think, and all she had to accept. Until he wrapped his arms around her. Alice looked up questioningly.

"Keep you warm...and make sure you don't fall onto your bruise." he gave another smile, the one she hated yet loved so much, and gave her a gentle squeeze. If Alice wasn't going to tell him, he'd pretend he didn't know anything about it. She blushed lightly. It forced her to lean into him more. Figuring it wouldn't hurt, she pressed her head against his shoulder, as opposed to it's previous spot over the seal.

The seal. _Her_ seal. The very thing that was killing him. Her being...her existence....was the reason the boy was dying. Is that what her twin had meant when she said 'she should have never been born'? Was she actually trying to help her out? No...they hated each other. She just wanted Oz so she could come out of Abyss. Same reason she, herself, wanted Oz. She subconsciously traced the seal's perimeter.

"Hey Oz..." she debated about bringing up the topic about the seal.

"Hmm?"

"Why do you talk to me in third person sometimes?" Sadly, that was the best her groggy mind could think of at the moment.

"What do you mean?"

She changed the pitch of her voice to sound more like his, "Alice is this, would Alice let me do this..."

"Uh, sorry. I didn't know it bothered you..."

"N-no! It's just...odd. Most people would say 'you'" In reality, it felt kind of nice to hear her name be called in such a manner. It made her feel important. Needed, even.

Oz smiled and rested his head against hers, feeling her tense for a second before relaxing, "Maybe I'm just trying to take after _Alice,"_he lay emphasis on the name, "and be _unique_."

Though he wasn't able to see it, she blushed furiously at the comment, and for as long as she lived, he'd never learn of it either. She felt sleepy again, somehow capable of hearing Oz's heartbeat for last few minutes, which sounded like a soft melody to her. She pulled her legs up, finding it a little cold, "Stupid manservant, you don't address your master like that," was all so managed to mumble before she dozed off. It didn't take long for Oz to follow, making sure to stay in their positions.

* * *

Gilbert walked in, quietly shutting and locking the door behind him. He was going to go check on the stupid rabbit, and then on Oz, but found them together on the couch. He stared for a few moments before his gaze softened. As much as he hated to admit it, the rabbit was better for Oz. He'd never tell her that, of course. She was still killing him, after all, but Oz seemed...happier around the girl, and Gil had to accept that. He had no choice. Silently, he took a nearby blanket and placed it over the two sleeping forms, before heading off to his own bed.

* * *

**O_O I swear I didn't mean to drag it out that long. I swear it. **

**I simply challenged myself to write to 3000, and then by the time i was done with that**

**I decided that since i was already at 3500 to go onto 4000. **

**Gah. I hope you enjoyed it anyways! **

**Again, sorry for such a dragged out plot Dx**

**If you love me, you'll click those pretty green letters at the bottom, yes?**


End file.
